Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, delivers a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Summit in Hong Kong, south China, May 18, 2016. (Photo: Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)
China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang on Wednesday called on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to take full advantage of the opportunities created by the Belt and Road Initiative and dovetail its development with the initiative so as to further expand and lift its superiorities.
Delivering a keynote speech here to the Belt and Road Summit sponsored by the HKSAR government, Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, said the central government attaches great importance to Hong Kong's prosperity and stability as well as its role in the national strategy.
The central government supports closer exchange and cooperation between Hong Kong and the mainland, and supports Hong Kong in expanding economic and trade ties with the world, the top legislator said, adding that Hong Kong, for its part, also needs to take a more active part in the national development strategy.
Zhang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said the central government will support Hong Kong in playing an active role in responding to the Belt and Road Initiative.
The central government supports Hong Kong's agencies and professionals in offering accounting, design, consultancy and other professional services to the Belt and Road, and supports Hong Kong's efforts to build a center for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia Pacific, in order to provide legal and arbitration services to the Belt and Road, Zhang said.
The central government also backs Hong Kong in developing high added-value shipping industry, and building a multi-functional shipping center for the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, and supports Hong Kong companies in leveraging their competitiveness in research, development, management, innovative industry, marketing and logistics, as well as participating in real economy cooperation such as production capacity cooperation along the Belt and Road, he said.
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